Kiddie{3 s tube float

ABSTRACT

A readily attachable and detachable seat for an annular inflatable buoyant-type tube such as those employed as an inner tube in a vehicle tire. The main or body portion of the attachment provides a saddle having a restricted median portion and progressively enlarged terminal end portions provided with integral adapters. Each adapter is channel-shaped to conformingly seat a portion of the inflated tube. Rows of lace-accommodating holes are provided at the respective ends of the attachment to accommodate manually attachable laces. These laces are threaded through the rows of holes provided therefor and are crossed and wrapped around the inflated tube with the free ends tied together.

United States Patent 72] Inventor Philip L. Huss Woodlane Road, Mount Holly, NJ. 08060 [21] Appl. No. 834,052 [22] Filed June 17, 1969 [45] Patented Apr. 13, 1971 [54] KIDDIES TUBE FLOAT 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 9/347 [51] B63c9/16 [50] Field ofSearch 9/348, 347, 3ll,329,14,11

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 947,446 1/1910 Lenz 9/329X 1,764,852 6/1930 Phillips... 9/347 2,173,963 9/1939 Eubank 9/347 2,246,108 6/1941 Sermon 2,529,961 ll/l950 Phillips ABSTRACT: A readily attachable and detachable seat for an annular inflatable buoyant-type tube such as those employed as an inner tube in a vehicle tire. The main or body portion of the attachment provides a saddle having a restricted median portion and progressively enlarged terminal end portions provided with integral adapters. Each adapter is channelshaped to conformingly seat a portion of the inflated tube. Rows of lace-accommodating holes are provided at the respective ends of the attachment to accommodate manually attachable laces. These laces are threaded through the rows of holes provided therefor and are crossed and wrapped around the inflated tube with the free ends tied together.

PATENTED APR 1 3|97| I 3" 574244 Philip L. Huss INVIiN'IOR.

WW 19m KIDDIES TUBE FLOAT The present invention relates to an inflatable and deflatable buoyant-type life preserver tube, that is, a tube of a diameter to effectually encircle and suspend the encompassed swimmer, said tube provided with a readily applicable and removable attachment characterized by seat means having lace-attached adapters at the ends for wraparound attachment to the tube.

An object of the invention, generally stated, is to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon prior art seat-equipped inner-tube-type life preservers and floats and, in doing so, to provide an innovation which lends itself to use on 'a substantially conventional tube-type preserver and which can be conveniently applied and held in place with suitable crisscrossed wraparound laces.

Briefly summarized, uniqueness is predicated on the molded plastic or equivalently made attachment, more particularly, an attachment characterized by structurally distinct seat means. This seat means is characterized by a comfortably shaped rigid saddle which is of a shape, size and length to fit with requisite nicety into and across the space between diametrically opposite inner peripheral surfaces of the annular or equivalent tube or preserver. This saddle has a relatively narrow easy-tostraddle median portion to comfortably seat the swimmer. The respective end portions of the saddle are fanned out and progressively enlarged to provide abutments, that is, abutments which are designed to frnnly contact and bear against selected inner peripheral surfaces of the swimmer-encircling tube. These abut rnents'are provided with integral uniquely shaped adapters. These adapters are fashioned to cradle and nest cooperating convex seatable surface portions of the inflated tube. The respective end portions of the saddle have outstanding flanges and the adapters are provided with rows of holes which are arranged and oriented to accommodate attaching and retaining laces. The lengthwise marginal edges of the saddle are provided with depending longitudinally bowed coplanar limb protecting and reinforcing flanges.

In carrying'out a preferred embodiment of the attachment the several main component parts, that is, the-saddle and the tube-seating and cradling adapters are made from self-shaped sustaining moldable plastic material which is light in weight but nevertheless strong and sturdy, the end portions of the saddle and also terminal-flanges of the adapters having rows of holes to facilitate attaching laces thereto which in turn are crisscrossed and wrapped around the annulus or tube in a reliably dependable manner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of detailing the saddle and showing how the end adapters are laced and tied in place.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the section line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

FIG. 4 is a view at right angles to FIG. 3 and taken approximately on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective on a relatively small scale showing the seating attachment by itself, that is with the laces omitted. It will be understood that the float may vary in construction and while it may be of solid form of buoyant material it is preferably of hollow'inflata'ble form. This float, also referred to as an annulus, inaddition, as an annular life preserver is -dendtedby the numeral 6. The seating means or attachment is designated, generally stated, by the numeral 8 in FIG. 5. This attachment is preferably made of one piece of moldable plastic material of requisite color, shape and texture. The plastic material should be sufficiently rigid and strong to serve the purposes for which it is intended, that is, in the manner suggested for example in FIG. 1.

The attachment is characterized by a main component part which is here designated as a saddle 10, said saddle having a relatively narrow median or body portion 12 which conveniently seats the user and permits the user to straddle the same. The gradually widened or enlarged end portions are denoted at 14 and are provided with rows of laceaccommodating holes 16 at the right and left as shown in FIG. 5. The longitudinal edge portions are provided with depending longitudinally bowed stabilizing flanges 18 which also serve as leg protecting guards. The adapters are integrally joined with the end portions and each adapter is the same in construction and is channel-shaped in cross section. These adapters are denoted at 20 and are shaped to cradle and seat the coacting portions 22 of the float as clearly brought out in FIG. 3. Each adapter has its outer marginal edge provided with an angularly disposed flange 24. Both flanges 24 are provided with rows of lace-accommodating holes 26. The junctional portions 28 between the adapters and widened ends 14 provide abutments which engage the tube in the manner brought out in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

The lace means in each instance is denoted by the numeral 30. Portions of the laces are threaded through the holes 16 and 26 and other portions are crisscrossed and wrapped around the float as at 29 and the ends are tied together as at 32.

' The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

lclaim:

1. In combination, an annular buoyant life-preserving float of a diameter adapted to encircle and support a user, a child for example, and complemental readily attachable and detachable seat means for the child or other occupant embodying a saddle, said saddle spanning the existing space between diametrically opposite inner peripheral surface portions of said annulus, said saddlehaving a relatively narrow median body portion constituting the seat proper and of a width that it is adapted to be straddled when in use by the seated occupant, the respective end portions of said saddle being fanned out and enlarged in the top plan and terminating in integral abutments, the respective abutments having rows of lace-accommodating holes formed therein, the respective holes therein cooperable with the aforementioned laceaccommodating holes, and means for seating cooperable portions of the annulus in the channel portions provided by said adapters, said means embodying manually applicable and removable laces, said laces being cooperatively laced through the accommodating lace holes provided in said abutments and said outstanding marginal flanges, said laces being progressively and systematically wrapped around adjacent coacting portions of said annulus and being laced back and forth and having free ends which are formed into a bow and are separably connected together in a manner similar to the presence of'lacing up and tying one's shoes.

2. The combination defined in and according to claim v1 and wherein the respective longitudinal edge portions of said saddle are provided with opposed companion downturned reinforcing and limb-protecting flanges.

3.' For use in conjunction with an annular buoyant lifepreserver-type float, a readily applicable and removable seat attachment for said float embodying an elongate saddle adapted to completely bridge the swimmer-accommodating space between like diametrically opposite inner peripheral surface portions of said float, said saddle having a relatively narrow median body portion constituting the seat proper and which is adapted to be straddled when in use by the seated swimmer and having opposite end portions designed and adapted to contact and abut respectively cooperable surfaces of said float, the respective end portions of said saddle being fanned out and enlarged in top plan and terminating in abutments, the respective abutments having rows of laceaccommodating holes, said abutments being provided with adapters in which coacting portions of said float can be cradled and retentively seated, the respective adapters being integral with the respectively cooperable end portions, channel-shaped in cross section to conformingly cradle and seat convex surface portions of said float, said attachment, including the saddle and adapters being made of one piece of moldable commercial plastics, said adapters being provided along outward marginal edges with outstanding marginal flanges, said flanges having rows of lace-accommodating holes therein.

4. The attachment defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein the respective longitudinal edge portions of said saddle are provided with opposed downtumed reinforcing and limb-protecting flanges, the respective flanges being longitudinally bowed.

5. The attachment defined in and according to claim 4, and, in combination, individual laces, said laces being adapted to be laced progressively through the lace-accommodating holes provided and said laces being further adapted to be progressively wrapped around predetermined portions of said float and laced back and forth in a manner that the free ends thereof can be formed into a bow and separably connected together in a manner similar to the manner of lacing up and tying one's shoes. 

1. In combination, an annular buoyant life-preserving float of a diameter adapted to encircle and support a user, a child for example, and complemental readily attachable and detachable seat means for the child or other occupant embodying a saddle, said saddle spanning the existing space between diametrically opposite inner peripheral surface portions of said annulus, said saddle having a relatively narrow median body portion constituting the seat proper and of a width that it is adapted to be straddled when in Use by the seated occupant, the respective end portions of said saddle being fanned out and enlarged in the top plan and terminating in integral abutments, the respective abutments having rows of lace-accommodating holes formed therein, the respective abutments being provided with complemental adapters, said adapters being channel-shaped in cross section and functioning to conformingly cradle and seat oriented convex surface portions of said float therein, said adapters being provided along their longitudinal marginal edges with angled outstanding flanges, said flanges having lace-accommodating holes therein cooperable with the aforementioned lace-accommodating holes, and means for seating cooperable portions of the annulus in the channel portions provided by said adapters, said means embodying manually applicable and removable laces, said laces being cooperatively laced through the accommodating lace holes provided in said abutments and said outstanding marginal flanges, said laces being progressively and systematically wrapped around adjacent coacting portions of said annulus and being laced back and forth and having free ends which are formed into a bow and are separably connected together in a manner similar to the presence of lacing up and tying one''s shoes.
 2. The combination defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein the respective longitudinal edge portions of said saddle are provided with opposed companion downturned reinforcing and limb-protecting flanges.
 3. For use in conjunction with an annular buoyant life-preserver-type float, a readily applicable and removable seat attachment for said float embodying an elongate saddle adapted to completely bridge the swimmer-accommodating space between like diametrically opposite inner peripheral surface portions of said float, said saddle having a relatively narrow median body portion constituting the seat proper and which is adapted to be straddled when in use by the seated swimmer and having opposite end portions designed and adapted to contact and abut respectively cooperable surfaces of said float, the respective end portions of said saddle being fanned out and enlarged in top plan and terminating in abutments, the respective abutments having rows of lace-accommodating holes, said abutments being provided with adapters in which coacting portions of said float can be cradled and retentively seated, the respective adapters being integral with the respectively cooperable end portions, channel-shaped in cross section to conformingly cradle and seat convex surface portions of said float, said attachment, including the saddle and adapters being made of one piece of moldable commercial plastics, said adapters being provided along outward marginal edges with outstanding marginal flanges, said flanges having rows of lace-accommodating holes therein.
 4. The attachment defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein the respective longitudinal edge portions of said saddle are provided with opposed downturned reinforcing and limb-protecting flanges, the respective flanges being longitudinally bowed.
 5. The attachment defined in and according to claim 4, and, in combination, individual laces, said laces being adapted to be laced progressively through the lace-accommodating holes provided and said laces being further adapted to be progressively wrapped around predetermined portions of said float and laced back and forth in a manner that the free ends thereof can be formed into a bow and separably connected together in a manner similar to the manner of lacing up and tying one''s shoes. 